Tuesday, November 09, 2004

Confessional Degeneration

Not a lot of news to report or comment on these days, other than more ‘bad’ news...

1. The major news item was this Star Tribune’s article about an inside look at the NHLPA’s SCORE(Salaries Create Overpaid Remuneration Environment) system...a smart little piece of work that keeps track of player offers, contract, clauses...basically everything that the NHLPA needs to compare salaries and collude the salary structure even further into the stratosphere. If you haven’t been in a cave, you probably have already read this by now...but if not...

The Star Tribune used the SCORE system (Thanks to a friendly agent) to look up the information for defenseman Nick Schultz. The NHLPA, ever secretive, declared this to be ‘hacking’ into their system.

Now, this agent could be risking a lot just by letting this paper into the secret little world of the NHLPA:

That said, the NHLPA is watching its agents. Any time an agent does statistical comparisons or looks up contracts, a clock ticks on access to that player's data. When the allotted 120 minutes run out, the agent must call the NHLPA and ask for additional time.

What is to stop the NHLPA from tracking the anonymous agent who logged into their system to look up NICK SCHULTZ? Methinks one unlucky agent is about to be de-certified.

One basic question: Why is it that the NHLPA is allowed this collusion, but the NHL would not be? The players compete against themselves on the ice and for better and better contracts. The NHL is a single entity, so it would make sense that they should be able to share the exact same information without penalty.

2. The Mike Danton saga is finally over, and he’s been sentenced to prison for 7.5 years. This essentially ends his hockey career and I hope he gets the help he needs in prison...it sounds like he needs to be de-programmed from the cult of David Frost.

PS: Don't drop the soap... (Sorry, I had to)

3. The Anti-Visor campaign (Also known as the Don Cherry Caveman Hockey Association) has been guffawing over the fact that Dany Heatley had his eye carved like ivory despite the fact that he wears a half-visor.
I don’t want to go back over my rant about helmet straps (see McSorely-Brashear), but what’s the use of a visor if it only covers your forehead? So many players wear their chinstraps loosely, causing the visor to often NOT be protecting the eyes that they are supposed to be protecting. This is basically like installing a security camera without turning it on.